History Of Obesity Struggles With Weight Questions

In a world focused more on appearance than health, the history of obesity appears to have been noticed by the ancient Egyptians, depicted by drawings of extremely heavy females in their drawings depicting diseases. Through the centuries, weight has been shown as anything from an unhealthy way of life to a sign of prosperity and in recent years has become depicted as a sign of an uncaring, unmoving way of life.

Through the years during times of scarce food supplies, heavyset people were seen as being prosperous while during times of plenty, remaining thin was highly respected. In 1908, the history of obesity took a twist when French Designer Paul Poiret introduced revealing fashions for women, hinting that being overweight was not fashionable. But is was not until the 1940s that the height-weight tables were established by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, projecting the message that it is not a good thing to gain weight along with age.

Perhaps the issue of being overweight came more into view in 1945 with the introduction of the two-piece bikini by Lewis Reard. The beach party movies of the 1960s ignored the history of obesity to take them into the mainstream and enthusiasm for the bikini was renewed in the 1990s television series Baywatch.

Government Gets Involved In Health Issues

The medical community joined with the government in 1951 to take up the fight against obesity following a 1948 study that showed the effects of being overweight on the cardiovascular system. Joining the history of obesity Jack LaLanne brought the term fitness into U.S. households with his show premiering on network television.

Twiggy made headlines with the waif look in the 1960s, establishing what many called an unhealthy and for many an unattainable look in the fashion world. Kate Moss brought the look back to the runways in the 1990s. However, celebrity deaths from eating disorders became part of the history of obesity and prompted studies showing the need for healthy dieting and good eating habits, but the fascination of celebrity lifestyles still sets unrealistic goals for appearance.

Joining in the history of obesity are the many diet plans that have been introduced beginning with the Weight Watchers in 1963 by a housewife with a weight problem. She had lost over 70 pounds with her food plan that she decided to take public. Since then many variations of diets have hit the market with several diet books gaining best-seller status and also prompted the release of several products and over-the-counter medications to benefit weight loss.